Why do we (have to) wave to drivers

A

Alphamare

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 February 2010
Messages
869
Visit site
I responded to the hacking thread but have had no replies so I thought I would start this as I am genuinely interested in the response.

Just playing devils advocate here but why should they thank road users for something that they should be doing legally anyway? Other vulnerable road users like cyclist or walkers etc don't, so I was just wondering where the need that riders feel to wave comes from?

Personally I am a nodder, even if I am on a good horse much like when I drive my car I believe in having full control so two hands on reins (or the wheel) at all time!

This is not so much about the people who take all the room or ride double or don't pull over for traffic but the rest who move out the way, trot on or go single file. Why the need for the waving? Isn't it in the high way code that drivers should pass wide and slow. Why do we have to thank them for following the law.

Lokia did add this: The highway code says (last time I looked, and all us drivers are supposed to have a copy!) that horse riders can ride two abreast for safety reasons and that car drivers should not expect horse riders to wave a thank you as they need both hands on the reins.
And said she waves so that people don't think horse riders are toffs or arrogant etc. personally if this is the only reason as an anti social person I wouldn't go around waving at strangers so that they think I friendly or what ever.
 
Ummm...I thank drivers for being considerate in the same way that I thank people who give way to me on the road when I am driving, even if it is my right of way. Being polite costs nothing!
 
You don't have to wave to drivers if you don't want to ,
I always wave at drivers who have slowed down for me or who have been slowed down by the fact i am there but if a driver passes me going the other way doing nothing I don't wave .
I don't wave at every car I see there's no difference.
 
I see your point but I consider it manners - same way that I thank someone who lets me out at a junction when I'm driving a car. It's a little acknowledgement that I have delayed them even if only momentarily although I'm entitled to. Also, it's a little bit of PR and education along the lines of praise the good behaviour.

Mind you, I also thank drivers that move out of the overtaking lane on dual carriageways so I can pass so maybe I'm excessively polite??? :) ETA I'm driving then not on a horse! :p
 
As far as I am concerned, it is just polite. The same as if a car stops to let me cross a road, if another driver stops/waits when driving to let me pass parked cars. Even if you have right if way I consider it is just polite to say thanks.

Whilst the highway code does say you should pass wide and slow, this is a subjective test so it is just good manners to acknowledge that they have done so.

I suppose it is the same as I normally say good morning/good afternoon when I pass someone out on a hack.
 
I drive cars ride bikes and horses. I say thank you and smile when people are considerate. It makes the world a nicer place...for me anyway.
 
Because it is polite, if someone has slowed or let me through first etc - whether I am on foot, on a bike, or on a horse - it is mannerly to say thank you.
 
I do understand the politeness responses thank you but why then are there so many threads berating riders for not saying thank you. When there is no legal requirement to, why does everyone get so angry if riders don't feel the need to say thank you?
 
If someone is courteous enough to slow down and pass with plenty of room then I do thank them. Unfortunately it seems to be becoming much rarer these days that people bother to slow or give room. Many are going so fast that they wouldn't see a wave anyway. If I waved to every car that went past on our nearby A road I'd look ridiculous, so save it for those who do bother.

I agree that getting upitty with riders who don't say thankyou is a bit pointless, they aren't actually doing anything wrong, and why should horse riders be made to feel subservient to other road users who rarely say thankyou? I sometimes feel it can be a bit like we are apologetic for being on the road.
 
Last edited:
BSL said:
I drive cars ride bikes and horses. I say thank you and smile when people are considerate. It makes the world a nicer place...for me anyway.
Click to expand...

This :)

Also I didn't know about the riding two abreast for safety was allowed but someone did point this out to me about cyclists the other day when I was moaning because there are SOOOO many of the ****ers on our lanes!!! :mad:
Personally I've always found it bad mannered to ride two abreast when there is a car wanting to pass and to be honest I still think that BUT wont give riders a hard time if they are doing it ... for safety and not because they are too busy chatting to give a flying **** about anyone else on the road!
 
BSL said:
I drive cars ride bikes and horses. I say thank you and smile when people are considerate. It makes the world a nicer place...for me anyway.
Click to expand...

This. You don't HAVE to thank people on the roads, in the same way as you don't HAVE to thank shop assistants, waiters etc. it is just that these people will think you are very rude if you don't, and will be less keen to help in future. Good manners do actually make a difference, I find.
 
Alphamare said:
I do understand the politeness responses thank you but why then are there so many threads berating riders for not saying thank you. When there is no legal requirement to, why does everyone get so angry if riders don't feel the need to say thank you?
Click to expand...

If I've made the effort to acknowledge a rider on a horse by slowing down I think its only courteous for them to do the same back. Manners and a thank you cost nothing and leaves the driver with the right memory!
 
Because it is polite and makes drivers who are not horsey more likely to slow down for every rider!!

For every rider that can't be arsed, I am guessing that makes one more driver less likely to slow down!!!

So please say thank you any way you can :)
 
Waving says 'thanks, I appreciate that,' which kind of tells drivers what they did is usefull.

We are vulnerable, and if thanking drivers teaches them we are polite and can really do with the extra space thats a good thing.

Why wouldn't you acknowledge that you've excersised your leagle right to cause minor inconvinance to some one, are mildly sorry it was inevatable and that it was nice that they wernt horn leaning cockmonkeys about it?
 
Alphamare said:
I do understand the politeness responses thank you but why then are there so many threads berating riders for not saying thank you. When there is no legal requirement to, why does everyone get so angry if riders don't feel the need to say thank you?
Click to expand...

It's not a legal requirement for me to say thank you to waiters in restaurants, but I do because it's polite. If people are rude to those who have done something considerate or kind for them, people will stop doing kind and considerate things.
 
I have to say I get what Alpha mare is getting at she acknowledges that it's polite to thank people who have done something for you but drivers who are not one bit slowed down or inconvenienced by your presence I don't feel a rider is rude if they don't wave in such circumstances if I am driving .
 
It's good manners and keeps everyone on the road in a good and safe mood! I thank everyone (when possible.. I do hack down some main roads!) and drivers usually thank me for thanking them, or if I halt my horse while they pass. I do have to prevent myself offering a different hand signal when people speed up ;)
 
Hoof_Prints said:
It's good manners and keeps everyone on the road in a good and safe mood! I thank everyone (when possible.. I do hack down some main roads!) and drivers usually thank me for thanking them, or if I halt my horse while they pass. I do have to prevent myself offering a different hand signal when people speed up ;)
Click to expand...

This! ;)
 
Alphamare said:
I do understand the politeness responses thank you but why then are there so many threads berating riders for not saying thank you. When there is no legal requirement to, why does everyone get so angry if riders don't feel the need to say thank you?
Click to expand...

Because not to, in my book, is rude and impolite.......akin to someone holding a door open for you and you barging through without acknowledging.
 
I think those of us who do try and say thank you, feel that riders who are inconsiderate or rude, can undermine the goodwill of motorists who then may not treat us considerately next time we meet them. You can well say that you should not need goodwill, and you shouldn't really, but the fact is that as my dear old Dad used to say, the motor car is a lethal weapon, and anything at all you can do to make it safer, is worth doing.
 
Being courteous and saying thank you to people doesn't hurt. It makes life a bit more pleasant when people are nice to each other.

No one has to say thank you to anyone for anything, but if you didn't, people would probably think you were arrogant and rude and less likely to give you the same amount of respect the next time they meet you.

It's not about the law.... Manners cost nothing.
 
Where I live everyone waves :smile3: it's just that kind of a friendly place. People on bikes, walking and horse riders all wave and thank you when you slow down and pass wide. I thank drivers too for passing courteously whether I'm walking or riding. I thank other drivers who don't slow down too, always mouthing 'thank you' and a friendly wave. Interestingly those drivers I often meet again on the roads and thereafter they slow down so even if they don't first time (and I'm sure they drive past wondering why in the world I'm thanking them) they usually get the idea of why I thanked them by the next time.
 
Spring Feather said:
Where I live everyone waves :smile3: it's just that kind of a friendly place. People on bikes, walking and horse riders all wave and thank you when you slow down and pass wide. I thank drivers too for passing courteously whether I'm walking or riding. I thank other drivers who don't slow down too, always mouthing 'thank you' and a friendly wave. Interestingly those drivers I often meet again on the roads and thereafter they slow down so even if they don't first time (and I'm sure they drive past wondering why in the world I'm thanking them) they usually get the idea of why I thanked them by the next time.
Click to expand...

I completely agree with this, I will wave to every driver regardless of whether they slowed down, in fact I almost exaggerate my thank you to those who don't slow down. As awful as this may sound, it's a way of almost trying to condition drivers, if you reward someone they are more likely to continue to be courteous drivers.
And as for those who don't slow down, my mum once told me about a time she was waiting in a queue at a post office, and by the time she got to the front she was fuming and really took it out on the cashier, instead of him responding in an equally aggressive manner, he calmly said 'good morning Madame, how can I help you today', and was overly polite and kind'. My mum said it really took her aback and she felt awful and embarrassed, it actually made her think about her actions. This is what I hope to achieve when being polite to those drivers who aren't courteous, maybe it'll make them think, and almost embarrass them, and in future they'll be polite. It might not work but it's worth a go!
 
I find it's just an automatic gesture. I guess I reckon if you say thanks they'll appreciate it.

Funnily, last weekend I was on the way home from a long endurance ride. I'd been away since 0500, 2 hour drive each way, riding for about 5 hours plus time for the vet gate and I was on my own. I was knackered and starving - and really wanted to get home. Even still I pulled in regularly to allow traffic past. I wasn't crawling along by any means, but of course one goes more slowly round corners and isn't doing 60mph so you do get traffic building up. As soon as I had a car behind me I was looking for somewhere to either pull in or slow down and allow overtaking.

Do you know what - NOT ONE person waved to say thanks, no acknowledgement with lights, nothing. I'm a pretty patient person but that really hacked me off. There was no requirement for me to pull in but I did so knowing how annoying it is to be stuck behind a slow vehicle.

I guess it's the same. I nearly stopped bothering, and I know lots of people wouldn't have bothered at all. By saying thank you, or even just a brief wave, it's nice to acknowledge that someone has given you a second thought. For that reason it's worth doing. I must admit I also wave and say thanks if people don't slow down - it does tend to make people think the next time.
 
touchstone said:
If I waved to every car that went past on our nearby A road I'd look ridiculous, so save it for those who do bother.
Click to expand...

I do find this a bit of a problem tbh... and the alternative is looking like a nodding dog.. maybe I should get a thank you sign? :p.
 
ester said:
I do find this a bit of a problem tbh... and the alternative is looking like a nodding dog.. maybe I should get a thank you sign? :p.
Click to expand...

I have the nodding dog problem. And I do wonder if the bitchy comments on here about not being thanked could come from such a situation. I doubt everyone notices the nod. I refuse to endanger myself by taking my hands off the reins. Anything can happen with horses so I refuse to take that risk personally.
 
Alphamare said:
I do understand the politeness responses thank you but why then are there so many threads berating riders for not saying thank you. When there is no legal requirement to, why does everyone get so angry if riders don't feel the need to say thank you?
Click to expand...


It annoys me immensely because if a driver waits to allow you to eg find a safe place to pull off the road and you don't acknowledge that fact, s/he might well not bother to wait for me next time.
Manners cost nothing. Obviously if you can't control your horse with your seat and legs you shouldn't take your hand off the reins but you can still nod and smile.
 
Its just politeness I guess and hoping that acknowledging it will make people more likely to slow down in future.

I drove past 2 people from my yard on the weekend, slowly and with plenty of space, and neither of them bothered to thank me and it made me pretty annoyed! Horses not playing up, no reason at all they couldn't wave a hand or even smile and nod! I would never actually do it but made realise how quick the leap into "fine I won't bother to slow down for you two again since you obviously don't appreciate it" could be - and if i'm thinking that as a rider then anything to encourage non-riders to slow down is a good thing!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top